Thrash 2007: Will I drive it to the board meet?

[Alvin]

Here's the plan: Drive my '68 to the board meet in July.

Here's the problem: It's over 500 miles one way, and my truck is in a thousand pieces in my garage!



So I've started this thread to document what I'm calling "Thrash 2007", which is an effort to get my truck roadworthy in time to make this trip.

Here's what has been done so far:

• Swapped the body to a coil spring frame
• Installed front air ride
• ECE drop spindles
• ECE quick-ratio steering box
• All new control arm shafts, ball joints, tie rods, pitman arm, idler arm, sway bar bushings, etc.
• Installed a c-notch
• Tore everything else apart

Now this is a list of what is waiting on the shelf:

• The rest of the air ride system: rear bags, tanks, valves, engine driven compressor, digital air gauge, water trap, etc.
• Cross-drilled and slotted front rotors
• 18 circuit painless wiring harness
• Full stainless steel brake lines
• ECE shock relocators
• ECE Super panhard bar
• ECE rear frame crossmember
• Fuellcellguy fuel cell
• 350/TH350 combo I bought from Rage'nRat a couple years ago (might wind up with vortec heads and headers, have to see what the internals are like [compression ratio, etc.])
• New rubber body mounts
• New engine mounts
• New tranny mount
• Covan's classic dash bezel
• Black carpet kit

So stay tuned. It's gonna be interesting! I'll also be taking plenty of pictures, not to do a step-by-step necessarily, but just to keep it interesting.

[Longhorn Man]

Adam... it's about time man!
Not too many ppl I can say that too either!
I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be able to go too.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

Adam... it's about time man!
Not too many ppl I can say that too either!
I'm crossing my fingers that I'll be able to go too.

I know it's been a long time coming!

If you can go, let me know which way you're heading. Maybe I can meet you in Indy or something? I'm not sure which route would be fastest from Columbus. I was planning on heading down through Louisville, but Indy wouldn't be bad either, especially if it means I'm not on the road alone!

1969k10stepside: Hang in there buddy, anything is possible! I think it's really up to the weather. As long as spring shows up on time I shouldn't be too rushed.

[1969C/10]

Another Ohioan! Good luck with your project, I will follow your progress!

[Longhorn Man]

Originally Posted by 1969C/10

Another Ohioan! Good luck with your project, I will follow your progress!

we have a few right here in Columbus... I have met 3 or 4 here in the past year... one of them with a primer black chevy with a GMC grill and a cad big block too! (his is a SWB though)

[1969k10stepside]

Good luck with the build.I am in the same boat w/ my 71 4x4.I would like to drive it to the meet but I am farther behind on my project than you.It will be close but I dont know if it will be road worthy in time.

[Longhorn Man]

spring? It's like spring here already... mid 50's tomorow. I washed my truck today.

[CPNEJR]

we can wash our cars here but we have to go through the auto wash or it'll be too damn cold and we'll be popsicles by the time we finish

[Alvin]

I know Andy, it's been warm. I'm just hesitant to give up my heated garage space for my daily driver right now. I know as soon as I get the '68 spread out over both bays it'll snow!

[Alvin]

A little history to keep it interesting.

I bought the truck April 13th, 2002. Drove it for about a year without really doing anything to it. It finally started burning more oil than gas around January '03 and I figured that was a good time to start making it the way I wanted it.


So I did a quick photochop to see what I could come up with.


That led to this drawing:


And eventually I had Zumo do up a rendering to finalize it all:


So that's the ends I'm working towards. I may be getting a bit ahead of myself, but I wanted you guys to see the vision I've had for the past few years. And all of this because I bought a magazine called Sport Truck back in 1999 and saw something called the Circus Wagon. These things sure have a way of getting out of hand!

[Longhorn Man]

the S-10 can handle a little frost... cummon man, the 68 has been waiting for this for 4 years! So you fire it up and run inside for 5 min... just like the rest of us.

[Alvin]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

the S-10 can handle a little frost... cummon man, the 68 has been waiting for this for 4 years! So you fire it up and run inside for 5 min... just like the rest of us.

Okay, you've talked me into it. First thing after work tomorrow the S-10 will come out, and it'll begin. First thing is drilling holes for the rear air bags, then fitting the fuel cell and drilling those holes. Shouldn't be too bad.

My only concern with the weather is getting the back half of the frame painted half-ways decent. Does spraying paint with an air gun work out better in lower temperatures than spray paint? Maybe it's about time I invest in one of those. I'm just spraying rust-o-leum anyways... maybe I should roll it on?

[69TowRig]

Good luck with that, looks like it will be well worth it. Before your post I had not noticed the thing about the Board meet. Dang that's a long way, my Blazer won't make that trip this year, although she could with a new hearbeat. Maybe next year...

[Longhorn Man]

I'd get one of those little jet engine looking heaters... you can heat up the metal with it and roll on your paint, which is probably a better idea than spraying anything in your attached garage.
I never realized to took apart such a nice truck.

[72armyswbtruck]

Now that is one nice rendering

[Alvin]

It really looks nicer than it was. Somebody had thrown it together previously and while he may not have been a dope smokin' old man, there were some issues.

The paint job was crap. The clear coat was coming off in huge flakes because it was put on so thick. It had a couple obvious spots of bondo work that had either bubbled or split. The entire front clip was hung wrong, the hood rubbed on the fenders, etc. The dash is hacked up for both a radio and a/c vents, but it's not an a/c truck. I stripped the paint/bondo off the bed, front fenders, and rockers and found a bunch of waves/dents and some rust in the rockers, cab corners, and of course the passenger fender under the battery is gone.

So yeah, it was a decent truck. Got me plenty of looks on the road and even a note on the windshield once. But like I said, things got out of hand quickly, and I'm glad my truck isn't any worse than it is. It's a pretty solid start!

[Alvin]

Oh, and I wanted to make sure to thank you guys for all the kind words. I do appreciate it!

[Boise69]

Hey Alvin, what tires are on that final rendering, any idea? I like the tread pattern and short profiles.

[Alvin]

I have no idea! I didn't get that specific on my requests for the render. You could try PMing Zumo and see if he knows?

[smbrouss70]

I feel your pain Alvin, I'm going to be doing a mini-thrash to get mine to look decent enough to drive there. I probably have less to do, but with a limited budget for it and the fact that I work all over the country and get between a 1/4-1/2 of my time at home, it should get interesting. I just need to do the typical cab rust (rockers, floors, etc.) and get it one color, even if its just flat black. Oh yeah, I can't show up with dirty white wagon wheels, either. Luckily my drivetrain and suspension/brakes have all been redone recently, so I know it's road-worthy. Good Luck on yours, and I'll be following your progress!

[Alvin]

Thanks Steven. I am just trying to catch up to where your project is at. If I can get it all in one piece that I know is perfectly safe (not to mention all brand new), I'll be happy. Then I'll take it one step at a time on fixing the rust, dents, and getting it painted.

Your truck looks awesome just the way it is, there's no shame in multiple colors or wagon wheels (although other wheels could only help )! Hope to see it in person in a few months!

[raggedjim]

Good luck Alvin, everytime I post a project with a deadline it is like the kiss of death...

Rg

[Alvin]

lol I like to think of it as more of a "goal" than a deadline... at least thats my positive spin for now. I'll probably start refering to it as a deadline sometime around June!

[Dean]

Looks like it coming along great! Don't forget I keep looking out the window here at work to see it but all I keep seeing is a bright yellow chevy.....lol. I can't wait to check it out.

[Longhorn Man]

Wih my luck, he'll follow my advice of leaving the S-10 outside and his stereo will get ganked and they'll destroy the window and dash on the way.